FG TO SPEND N3.8TR ON UNDERWATER REPAIRS OF THIRD MAINLAND BRIDGE — UMAHI
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BY OWOLABI OLUWADARA
The Federal Government indicates that approximately N3.8 trillion will be necessary to restore the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos due to the identification of significant underwater structural deterioration.
David Umahi, the Minister of Works, revealed this information on Wednesday while informing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
According to Umahi, underwater assessments conducted in 2013 and 2019 on both the Carter and Third Mainland bridges revealed significant substructure deterioration caused by illegal sand mining, erosion, and corrosion of piles and piers.
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“Regarding the Third Mainland Bridge, when we conducted a proportional analysis of what needs to be accomplished, the rehabilitation estimate amounts to approximately N3.8 trillion, while the cost for new construction is estimated at about N3.6 trillion,” he stated.
The minister indicated that the initiative is built upon a series of urgent measures already implemented for bridges nationwide.
“We therefore approached the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to seek authorization for two actions under the EPC+F (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing) model, permitting no fewer than seven specialized contractors to conduct thorough investigations, detailed designs, and the bidding process to either reconstruct entirely new bridges or rehabilitate these two existing bridges,” he elaborated.
Umahi mentioned that the council also sanctioned the advertisement for public-private partnerships (PPP), facilitating private sector involvement in the rehabilitation efforts.
He further noted that the approvals encompass additional bridge projects, including the Jalingo bridge in Taraba State, the Ido Bridge in Oyo State—which was damaged by fire and necessitates the removal of three spans— the Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa, the Mokwa bridge in Niger, and a compromised bridge on the Abuja–Kogi road.
He indicated that further assessments would be conducted on bridges between Lagos and Ibadan, the Jebba bridge in Kwara State, and the Itokin–Ikorodu bridge in Lagos.
“These urgent works will be formulated and submitted to the President for approval through the Minister of Finance,” Umahi remarked.
The minister also revealed that the council approved a total of N493 billion for two major projects — the upgrade of the 152-kilometre Kano–Katsina road and the construction of a new Carter Bridge in Lagos State
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